Sunday

The Mississippi River makes up the
largest river system in North America, and is the 4th
longest, and 10th largest in the world. Contained
completely within the U.S., it begins in northern Minnesota, at Lake
Itasca, and travels slowly south over 2500 miles to where it dumps
into the Gulf of Mexico near Pilottown, La. It flows through 10
states, and with it's tributaries, drains 31 states. It has been, and
still is, a vital water-route used by commercial shipping, barges and
boats.

The Mississippi is divided into 3
sections: The Upper, Middle and Lower Sections. The Upper Mississippi
runs from the origin in Minnesota south to the conflux of the
Missouri River, near St. Louis, Mo. The Middle Mississippi runs from
the Missouri split to the conflux of the Ohio River, near Cairo, Il.
The lower Mississippi runs from there to the Gulf of Mexico at
Pilottown, La.

The Mississippi River covers many
ecosystems along its route, so it is little wonder that it contains
over 119 species of fish, but the most important species to anglers
are catfish, bass, walleye, saugers, and panfish. You can catch all
the fish you want by using a few Mississippi River fishing tips:

Walleyes are mostly in the Upper
Mississippi, with the best areas between St. Paul, Mn. and St.
Louis, Mo. Try to stay within a mile or so of the numerous locks and
dams. Walleyes like current, but prefer it a slower, rather than
strong, and they like to spawn near the concrete structures and
locks.

The Mississippi is famous for it's
catfish. There are two main species in the river, the Channel and
Blue. They are similar in appearance with the main different being
size. The Blue catfish can get considerably larger, exceeding 100
pounds. A third species is less prevalent, the Flathead, or yellow
catfish. They can also top 100 pounds. The best methods for monster
catfish is to fish with cut-bait below the numerous tail-races.
Catfish are numerous along the entire course of the river.

Bass are prevalent all along the
river. The best places to find them are areas out of the current,
with still backwaters being the best. One of the best lures for them
is a Texas-Rigged purple-colored plastic worm.

Saugers are close relatives of
walleyes, with similar habits. They also inhabit the Upper
Mississippi, but tend to stay in deeper water. The same tactics that
work for walleyes also catch saugers.

There are a few other species of
interest, such as paddlefish, gar, carp, and even Bull sharks have
been spotted as far up river as Illinois. Whatever you decide to fish
for, you'll do better if you keep these Mississippi River fishing
tips in mind.

Salmon are one of the most popular
fishes world-wide, both for eating, and sport-fishing. While there
are many different species in U.S. waters (most of which are in the
Pacific Ocean), there are some generalities. With the exception of
the few landlocked species (Kokanee, Landlocked Chinook, Landlocked
Coho, and Landlocked Atlantic), Salmon are saltwater fish that are
born in freshwater, then live out their lives in the ocean. When they
are ready to spawn, they return to the exact stream they were born
in, spawn, and die. On the Atlantic coast, there is one species, the
Atlantic Salmon. On the west coast, there are Chinook (King),
Sockeye, Chum, Coho, and Pink Salmon. Sometimes Steelhead are also
included in the list, but this is incorrect. A Steelhead, while
having a similar lifestyle to salmon, is actually a sub-species of
Rainbow trout. Salmon can be fished for in both saltwater, and
freshwater.

Freshwater fishing for salmon
involves catching them on their spawning runs upriver, and timing is
critical. The spawning runs can be as short as a week, so you need to
be on the water at the right time. The other way to catch them in
freshwater is to fish in a lake that has the landlocked species in
it. In saltwater, salmon form large schools, and can be caught by
many methods, with trolling being the most popular. Wherever you find
them, salmon can be caught relatively easy if you learn a few salmon
fishing tips in advance:

One of the best ways to catch
salmon in both fresh and saltwater is trolling with umbrella, or
spider rigs, using planers. The planers take your lures out away
from the boat's noise and shadow, and results in more strikes.

A great technique for actively
feeding salmon is Mooching. A Mooching rig is a 2-4 oz. banana
weight with a leader going to a hook baited with a plug-cut herring
or anchovy. With the boat moving or drifting slowly, just drop the
bait all the way to the bottom, then slowly reel it up to within a
few feet of the surface, drop it back down and repeat the process.
This is very good when salmon are deep, around 100-300 feet.

Casting and drift fishing are good
techniques for Coho Salmon. Some of the best lures are the Daredevil
in Red & White, and 5 of Diamonds patterns, banana jigs, and
larger Mepps spinners.

To locate schools of actively
feeding salmon, look for bait-fish. Bait-fish usually congregate
around structures such as narrow cuts, back eddies behind islands,
areas of restricted tidal flow, and rock-piles.

By using these salmon fishing
tips, you'll be better able to locate, and boat more salmon for your
time on the water.

Tuesday

Towards the end of February in the
south, and March up north, it's time to start thinking about hitting
the water again. The Super-Bowl is history, your sick of watching
re-runs on TV, and Cabin Fever is driving you crazy. When the water
temperatures get in the 50s, it's time to go out and kick some bass.

It may seem a bit early, but this
is the best time to catch bass while they are in their pre-spawn
mode. They've been doing the same thing you have all winter...hanging
out and not doing much of anything. They've been living mostly off of
stored energy all winter. Spawning takes a lot of effort, so the bass
know they have to stoke up for the rigors to come. They will get out
of their lethargic mood when the water temperatures get to 53°F (for
smallmouth bass) up to 57°F (for largemouth bass), and begin
actively feeding. They will move from deeper water (20'-40') into
shallower water (5'-15') several times a day looking for high
nutrient foods such as crawfish, worms, and other things they don't
have to chase or fight much. By learning a few good spring bass
fishing tips, this can be the best fishing of the year:

Bass will move from deeper to
shallower water along lines of structure. Look for channels, old
river beds, tree lines, rock-piles, and ledges that run from deep to
shallow water. These will lead to suitable spawning waters as well.

Get to know the forage in the
lake, or river you will be fishing in. You need to know the average
size, and coloration of the food the bass are likely to be eating so
you can match your lures to them as close as possible.

In pre-spawn mode, bass are still
a bit slow, so slow-moving lures will produce better this time of
year. The all-time best lure for spring bass is a soft plastic worm,
crawfish or lizard. Texas-rigged soft plastics have accounted for
more bass than any other bait, period....even live bait. There is
one secret that is murder on feeding spring bass. When using plastic
crawfish, take a hypodermic needle and 'blow' a small bubble of air
into each 'claw' so that they float up, in a 'defend' posture. Cast
them directly into cover...and hang on.

One of the best kept secrets of
bass fishing is the Jig & Pig combo. Tipping an Arkie jig with a
pork-bait can be deadly in spring. But there is one secret to
it....only use floating pork baits. The reason is simple, crawfish
do not drag their claws along the bottom, especially when
threatened. They have them up and defensive, so your pork needs to
float up to resemble this posture. When you buy a jar of pork-baits,
drop them all in a bowl of freshwater, and only use the ones that
float. Use the rest on spinner baits later in the year.

If you really want to bust your
bass, take a little time and apply these few spring bass fishing tips
to significantly improve your catch-ratio.

Thursday

Few
things are more depressing than fishing from shore, and watching
someone in a boat catching a lot of fish just outside your casting
range. It's happened to all of us at one time or another. Many times,
a boat is just not feasible, either for the trouble it takes to use
one, or financial concerns. Fortunately, in calm waters, there is a
compromise available. Float tubes allow and angler to access
productive water without the hassle of maneuvering a full-sized boat,
are very quiet, and relatively inexpensive.

A
float-tube is one or more air-inflated bladders with a cloth cover, a
seat, and usually a nice backrest, with plenty of pockets for gear
and D-rings for accessories. The angler sits in the seat and propels
the unit with a pair or swim fins, moving through the water
backwards, much as in rowing, except the hands are free for casting.
They can be used with waders in cold water, or just swim gear in warm
water. They are extremely comfortable for all-day fishing. The only
down-side is that they are very slow, and you won't be covering a lot
of distance in them. But they serve their purpose well. They are
very safe, if you use some common-sense, and a few float fishing
tips:

Always wear a PFD when
using float tubes. If one compartment deflates, there is no
guarantee the other compartments will keep you afloat.

It may sound obvious,
but you probably should not use a float-tube in waters that are
inhabited by alligators, sharks, piranhas, or anything that may
decide to bite you, since your whole lower half is sitting in the
water.

Although I have seen it
done, I wouldn't recommend using float-tubes in saltwater, even in
protected waters. The danger from marine life, undertows, riptides,
and such is just too great. A kayak is a much better option.

Always have a repair
kit with you. Small holes can be quickly and easily repaired, and
you can get back to fishing within minutes.

Don't over-inflate your
float-tube. The air can heat up on the water and expand, causing a
blowout that cannot be repaired on the water.

When walking into the
water, and exiting the water with swim fins, walk backwards. It is
difficult to walk forward in swim fins, and falling in a float-tube
on land is no fun at all.

Float-tubes can greatly
expand you fishing possibilities, especially if you use

Sunday

This is a fishing tips article on fishing boat safety and may be a little basic for your more advanced anglers but they may learn something as well.

Fishing is a great, wholesome
activity for the whole family. And what better way to enjoy than from
the deck of a boat? Unfortunately, boating does involve a few
potential hazards. In the U.S., there are over 5000 boating accidents
annually, with more than 800 being fatal. It may not sound like much
when you compare these figure to the ones for traffic accidents, but
if one of these statistics is you, or one of your loved ones, then
the numbers quickly become much more significant. And the really bad
thing is that the vast majority of boating accidents are easily
preventable. Granted, fishing is at the bottom of the list of
activities that cause boating accidents, but you can reduce them to
nearly zero simply by following a few basic fishing boat safety tips,
and following all the boating laws in you locations.

This may sound a bit obvious, but
I can't stress this enough. Never drink while operating a boat, or
for at least 6 hours beforehand. Operating, and navigating a boat is
a very technical procedure that demands your full attention, and
humans are not naturally aquatic creatures. The water can be a
hostile environment. You need to keep your wits about you at all
times when on the water. Add to that the fact that in most places,
it is very illegal, with very harsh penalties.

Wear a PFD whenever you are on the
water, even when the boat is not moving. This is the major cause of
boating fatalities. In 2008, of the 800 boating accident fatalities,
510 of them were from drowning, and 459 were not wearing PFDs
(Personal Floatation Device, or Life Vest).

Watch your tackle. Always look
behind you before casting. Many an angler has gotten an 'Eagle Claw
Earring', and even more serious injuries from a comrades lures on
the back-cast. Bass lures, in particular, have a wicked assortment
of large, sharp, strong hooks on them, and barbed hooks usually
require a visit to the Emergency Room to remove them, if they are
imbedded very deeply. Also, never leave lures, hooks, and other
terminal tackle out in the open, on seats, or the deck, where
someone can step, sit, or fall on them. Always put your tackle where
it belongs...in the tackle-box.

Always wear some kind of shoes in
a boat. They protect your feet from hooks, and provide extra
traction if the boat yaws, or lurches suddenly. If you go overboard
and have to swim to shore, never discard your shoes. Tie them
together by the laces, or stuff them in a pocket if you need to take
them off to swim. You will need them when you reach shore. Even a
small injury to your foot can seriously incapacitate you.

Catching fish from a boat is a very
enjoyable activity, and can be very safe as long as you keep in mind
a few fishing boat safety tips.

Monday

This is a Bass Fishing Tips video we found.
The video itself is called "Fall Bass Fishing Tips"...
Here is a great video we found on Bass Fishing Techniques for the fall. . The video does a good job of helping you understand the migration of Bass in the fall. In addition, it helps you understand the nature of this prize fish in the fall and goes into some detail on how you can locate these fish as the seasons change.
Well watch and enjoy this video below.

Friday

This is a Fishing Tips article on some of our most popular bass fishing tip blog posts. These may have been over looked by some so we put them on one post just for you. Some of these bass fishing tip articles may be basic for you more advanced anglers but they may learn something as well.

4 Types of Bass Fishing Lures
First, this article is on 4 different types of bass fishing lures and a few basic ideas on when the best time to use them. We will first outline the different types of bass fishing lures, and then under that we will explain generally, when best time to use them is.

Spring Bass Fishing Techniques
This is a bass fishing tips and techniques article on springtime bass fishing. This may be pretty basic for your more advanced fisherman, but they may learn something as well.

In the spring time the water temperature warms up very quickly... Read More...

This is a basic bass fishing tip for fishing around grass, moss, Lily pads and other types of vegetation in shallower waters. This may be pretty basic for your more advanced anglers but they may learn something as well.

Remember the best places to find bass especially on hot days is where it is cooler... Read More...

This is a fishing tips article on some basic rules to follow when choosing color of your bass fishing lure.
This may be pretty basic for your more advanced anglers but they may learn something as well.

Choosing the right bass fishing lure entails many things as you know. These things consist of example... Read More...

Hot Weather Bass Fishing Tips
This is a fishing tips article on some strategies that can be implemented for bass fishing in hot or warmer weather. This may be pretty basic for your more advanced anglers but they may learn something as well.

Remember the fish along with other animals feel the same as we feel so when it is hot we will look for a cooler area and when it is cold we look for warmer areas. So, that being said we can... Read More...

If you like bluegill, one of the best baits that we have found for catching them is wax worms. Wax worms are live bait that you can get at your local bait shop and some department stores that sell fishing tackle and other supplies.

What are wax worms?Wax worms are live bait that are very small and they really don’t look like a worm, they look more like a small caterpillar. These worms are small and white in color and are not as messy to deal with as dew worms.

Bluegills love wax worms
Bluegill absolutely love these wax worms so if you’re in an environment that has bigger bluegill. It is almost a must stop by your bait shop and get some wax worms.

How to fish with wax worms
The best method that we have used for fishing with wax worms is using a very small hook then feed the wax worm through the hook. Then attach a bobber about 3 feet above the hook with the wax worm on. You then would cast into the areas or location where the waters are populated with bluegills. This can be done from a boat very effectively or fishing off the bank.

In conclusion
Wax worms are live bait that you can get at your local bait shop or department store.
Bluegill absolutely love wax worms.
Try using this live bait on a small hook and a bobber with a short poll.

First of all, before we get into techniques on rubber frogs it is always a good idea to fish the environment rather than fish our favorite type of bait. Yes it is true you could make an example a crank bait or buzz bait work in weeds, moss and where there are a lot of lily pads. But that is not using the environment to your advantage we are not saying that these baits will not work in those areas. You do however have to worry more about snags as being more of a problem.

Fishing with Rubber Frogs
Like we said before this is a tip on using rubber frogs and basically this is just an example of using the environment to your advantage. Let’s say you go to an area that has a lot of moss and Lily pads. Well, the environment tells me that using a rubber frog lure as bait would be a good idea.

Choosing the type of rubber frog or the color will take some trial and error but as a basic rule on a sunny day with clear water we tend to try brighter colors with sparkle first. On the same token on hazy days with overcast skies or when the water is murkier we would use a darker color.

A basic example on a sunny day with clear water the fish tend to be hitting better on watermelon red sparkle color. On the same token on the hazy day with murky water we will tend to have better luck with a darker color example dark green or brown in color or even black…

When using frogs in around the lily pads one good presentation is to use them as top water bait bouncing them up out of the water onto Lily pad and then back in the water again letting them fall down as you retrieve you can, however can use multiple techniques for presenting these frogs as bait.

In Conclusion
Trying fishing the environment.
If you see a lot of lily pads and Moss try using a rubber frog.
A basic rule of thumb for choosing color type Sunny and Clearwater will use shinier and brighter colors.
Hazy days in murky water tend to benefit darker colors.
Adjust your technique for presenting the frog to the bass to find out what will trigger a reaction for them to bite.

Thursday

But don’t put your fishing gear away yet. High water and heavy discharge aren’t all bad when it comes to fishing. And it doesn’t mean fishing this year is over or not going to be all that good as high water opens up areas, allowing fish to move into them to spawn and to feed. The heavy discharge coming from the dams acts like a magnet, and it draws fish up stream to feed on all the new aquatic life and other food sources being washed through the gates.

Here are some tips on different kinds of fish in high water.

Walleye
Put your boat along a bluff if you have one in the water you are fishing. Use several baits and presentations. The reports indicated that drifting with bottom bouncers, spinners and crawlers had accounted for good catches of walleyes. It didn’t take us long to realize that something had changed as crawlers weren’t what the fish wanted today, it would be a jig or bottom bouncer/spinner and minnow bite accounting for the majority of the fish that would be taken on this trip.

Increased flows and high water are not always bad, so don’t think because there’s high water in the lakes and increased flows into the river, fishing will be poor. If fished safely and properly, it can be some of the best fishing not only this year, but for several years down the road.

Bass
The old saying that bass move shallow in high water is very true. The first thing I try to do when going after these high-water bass is look for mudlines. Mudlines generally produce ambush spots for actively-feeding bass.

Many impoundments, usually muddy up very quickly during heavy rains, but not all areas are as muddy as others. When heading out to fish on a high water day, do some up-front research to get to the best areas. Head to the banks and bushes and wood structure, looking for breaks in the mudlines along the edges of the structure. Not all the creeks have good high water structure, but the ones that do will produce big time!

A lot of times the mudlines are just out from the shore or break around a bush or stump, and you can bet that a bass is sitting on the clearer edge waiting to feed. Look for noticeable points or indentations in mudlines around or next to visible cover. That subtle break generally occurs because of two reasons; there is a small drop around the edge of or in-between the cover or the cover itself is breaking the water flow. Whichever of these occur, you need to fish it because the small drops or current break is generally just below or next to the mudline and holding a big bass.

This is perfect setting to flip a Tightline Jig and wiggle it over the clearer edge or stroke it off a treetop along a clear point. I prefer Tightline's Wood Thumper and Grass Flipping Jigs. Both come with rattles that help bass zero in on them in limited visibility conditions.
Another effective high-water mudline tactic is to clip a single, big Colorado blade onto a 9/16-ounce Secret Weapon Quickstrike or Sidearm spinner bait, flip it back past the flooded tree line, and slow-roll it back out. Fish are alerted by the approaching lure's throbbing blade. Kill the retrieve beside every break in the mudline, stump, lay-down, or bush you pass and let that short-arm spinner bait flutter down to the bottom. Then lift it with your rod tip and swim the lure slowly to the next target. In muddy water, bass hold tight to those ambush points, and the flashing, noisy in-line blade draws strikes.
If you've not experienced the difference in-line blades can make on a spinner bait, give one a try and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Crappie
For quite a while, all it has done is rained. This has brought the already full lake several feet above summer pool. What this means for the crappie fisherman is that it will be up to the weather to determine the fishing for crappie until the high water leaves. If the weather turns bad and the temps drop and a cold front comes in the crappie fishing will be slow. But if the weather is calling for nicer weather, the crappie fishing should be stable and good. At this time of year the crappie have a natural reaction to move shallow. And with the lake at several feet above normal and a lot of new land area flooded this offers the fish like the crappie and bass a lot of new food to feed on. In some cases I have seen this cause a feeding frenzy in the shallows. This all sounds good and it can be as long as the weather is stable during this high water period. The crappie will continue to hold shallow as long as the water stays high. Then as the water returns to normal summer pool levels the crappie will move and hold on the cover. When the water is high look for things like bloomed out tree limbs that are hanging out in the water. This provides the shallow water crappie an excellent form of cover to hold on. Also the green leaves put off oxygen into the water and the tree limbs will hold a lot of small bugs for the smaller bait fish to feed on and this will move in the larger fish like the bass and crappie to feed on them. So you can see this form of shallow water cover can be a great type of area to fish during high water times. It is certainly one of my favorite types of cover to fish for crappie and some of my best and most productive crappie trips both came from fishing flooded bloomed out tree limbs in the water. The willow tree limbs seem to hold the best fishing. Once you have located this type of spot you can start with a minnow or small tube bait or curly tail grub or a doll fly. Most of the time you will only need to fish about four feet deep. Start out by placing your bait close to the outside areas of the tree limb. You can fish with or without a floater. I will use a floater in this type of cover most of the time to keep from getting hung up on the tree limb when a crappie pulls the bait under the limb. A floater will also let you have control of the depth you are fishing at and show a strike better. Fishing this type of cover can be very productive in both day and night fishing. Other types of good high water crappie fishing cover include lay down trees, brush clumps, bridge pilings, brush piles both natural and man made, standing flooded timber and boat docks. Fish all these areas in the high water for best results.

This is a fishing tips article designed to help you understand the differences between fishing rods in the hope that you will have a better understanding on when to use and how to choose the type to use. This may be basic for your more advanced anglers but they may learn something as well.

Types of Fishing Rods
Basically, there are two types of fishing rods fiberglass and graphite; both these fishing rods have their uses and strengths for different fishing situations.

The Fiberglass Rod
The fiberglass rod is more flexible, do to this flexibility this Rod is good when using crank baits or other type of jerk baits in other words when you don’t need as much sensitivity. In addition due to the flexibility of these types of fishing rods they do tend to set the hook better. (Note: This type is generally our rod of choice when fishing for bigger fish).

The Graphite Rod
The graphite rod is stiffer and is not as flexible fiberglass rods and is generally more sensitive and a really good for when you’re using lighter bait like Jigs and when you really need to do feel them light hits from the fish. This rod would be good for panfish like crappie or bluegills or some of your smaller type fish.

In conclusion
There are two types of basic fishing rods.
These are fiberglass and graphite rods
Both these rods have their strengths and uses.
The fiberglass is more flexible, not as sensitive and works better with crank baits.
The graphite rod is stiffer and works when you need to feel them light hits and is good for jig or fishing for crappie, bluegills or other smaller type fish…